Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-05-26

1 GOOiucSs kAOWc, LII" w. = 49, .
Their hang NV whut yer air sayin'.
| "Oh. no. girls don't git Their hang
NV nothin' these days, but it amt nc
use ter talk. Here yer air, lettin' one
NV Their best chances er po' girl ever
had slip outen' yer hans like er eel. .
! WALL" said Martha, smiling. SET
err girls got holt NV er eel she mout ez
| well let it slip, fur she KANT hold 1t.
| no how"
"Oh, shet yer mouth an don't talk
ter me-" the old woman snapped.
Yer know well or huff whut ]
mean"
Eyes, NAV, 1 do know whut yer
mean. an it hurts me nightly tel
hear yer talk that er way"
.sDon't peer ter hurt yer much.
| Ef it did yer'd try ter do err little bet
ter. Wy eff many err girl had er been
| in yO' place, she woulder dun had it all
made up long er go. Spite ter see er
body so pokey slow"
..Maw, what can 1 do?" the giri
pleaded.
The old woman sat carding ''bats"
for quilt. She put down the cards,
cracked" all her bony fingers, one
at time, and then said:
80 Martha, is it possible, I ak in all
seriousness-is it possible that yer
don't know what ter doP You sartin-
ly air the strangest girl ever seed,
an do believe befo' Their Lawd that
yer never would er 'knowledged that
yer loved him eff / hadenter hemmed
yer up an made yer. What ken yer
do. indeed; wy, yer ken talk ter him
stead NV keepin' out Nv his way like
err goose"
"Does err goose keep outen er
body's way, maw?"
"Tn come thar an box yer jaws eff
yer don't stop turnin' ever thing I say
inter foolishness; wush may never
stir agin eff don't"
A step was heard. 'Yes," Mrs.
Pritchard continued, ''the spring is
backward, an it do peer like the
seasons is gittin' slower an slower
every year. Wy, come in, Mr.. Rob
ertson. Didn't low yer wuz on Their
place. Lowed yer wuz out saunterin'
roun' summers. Martha. give Mr..
Robertson er cheer. clar ter good
ness. girls amt got no raisin' these
days"
"You still persist in regarding me as
company" said Robertson, seating
himself.
Eyes. an putty good conp'ny, too,
when yer feel like talkin'," the girl re-
piled.
'I'll be bound fur YOU" said the old
lady, getting up. oval" she added,
''reckon I'd better see erbout gittin'
NV er snack ter eat.
''I'll git it, maw.''
mo, I'm crbleeged ter YER" giving
the girl significant look) 81 druther
do it myself. fur I feel like stirrin'
round er little
When the widow had left the room.
Robertson, turning to the girl, re-
marked:
'I think that I've found good fish
ing place, away over here in small
stream running down from the hills. ~
''That's Oak Fork" Martha replied.
Good fishing. supposeP"
"I reckon So"
Suppose we go over this after
noon.''
"Wall, cf mother IL let mo-"
At the dinner table the old 1ady's
permission was asked. She hesitated,
alphabetically, and said with solemn
pleonasm that she ''didn't reckon thar
would be no harm in it,
AS they walked in the woods, vel
vety and green in welcome to the COM
ing of May, Robertson said:
Don't you think. Martha, that the
length of time we have been acquainted
warrants you in talking to me more
than you de?"
She looked at him, and then, with an
effort to drive away a tender appeal
which shOne in her eyes. replied:
al thought that / talked ter yer er
good 'eal."
"But you don't"
81 will, then. Whut must / say?"
looking up with smile that made her
face radiant.
''Any thing"
Wall. then, any thing"
They both laughed; and he caught
her hand mischievously, declaring that
he would lead her back home. Had
the love she bore him shown itself in
her eyes. he would, at that moment,
have thrown his arms around her. He
! SkIH5N "